New grant to fund up to 20 research projects, increase R&D investment

A new initiative in Dubai aims to fund research projects that advance key economic sectors and increase R&D investment, particularly from the private sector.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai, approved the launch of the Dubai Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Grant Initiative. The initiative is part of the Dubai Research and Development Program, which launched in 2022.

“With the launch of this initiative, we aim to make Dubai among the most future-ready cities in the world, and the most prepared to harness scientific research to achieve impactful accomplishments,” Sheikh Hamdan said. “Dubai will become a destination of choice for regional and international scientists and researchers.”

Research project criteria

The initiative will support up to 20 research projects in its next phase, selected based on strict criteria.

Two sectors will be prioritized:

• Cognitive cities: Research in areas such as smart mobility, traffic management, smart grids, and proptech.
• Health and life sciences: Topics include precision medicine, preventive genetic sequencing, cell-cultured foods, and crop resilience.

The initiative will also emphasize robotics and AI. AI research will focus on applications in fintech, natural language processing, and computer vision, while robotics systems will explore uses in logistics, construction, aviation, and healthcare.

The Dubai Future Foundation will collaborate with local and international partners, including public and private sector entities, universities, and research institutions, to drive these projects forward.